Load-indicator for railway-cars.



110.880,719. PATNTED MARQS, 1908.

M. 0. COATS.

LOAD INDICATOR FOR RAILWAY GARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..7.1907.

1HE Ncnms r'srsRs co., wAsmNcfoN. n. c4

PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.-

M. c. coATs. l LOAD INDICATOR POR RAILWAY GARS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAIL-7. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE Nafms PETERS co., WASHINGTON. D. v.

UNTE

STAS

MACK C. COATS, OF MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

LOAD-INDICATOR FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 8, 1908.

Appliation filed March 7. 1907. Serial Noi 3614167.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, MACK O.COArs, citizen of the United States, residing at Marysville, in the county of Yuba and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Load-Indicators for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the consignor and consignee of a car load of goods, or the freight agents may determine at once, without overhauling the goods, the exact location of the different consignments in the car, as well as the character of such consignments, the number of packages and the like, and while l have described my invention particularly in connection with a freight car, it is to be understood that my improved diagram or load indicator may be of any shape or size so as to represent not only the form of the car, but a boat, storel room, ware-house, case, box, crate, barrel, or anything in which are placed goods, wares, merchandise, or other commodities for the purpose of transportation or storage.

lith these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in a load indicator embodying a novel and useful diagram, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l illustrates one embodiment of the diagram proper, ready for use and shows the indicator as applicable particularly to a freight car or ware-house, or receptacle ,of rectangular and oblong shape Fig. 2 represents an instance in which the indicator has been filled out, and, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, illustrating it as applicable to a vessel.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

As stated at the outset of my specification, my improved load indicator embodies a blank containing a diagram which represents the inside of a car or ware-house, or the like, in which goods are to be placed. ln the present instance, as stated, the diagram l illustrates the interior of a freight car, and the indicator is a piece of cardboard, paper,

wood, cloth, metal or other material upon which the said diagram l may be drawn, carved, engraved, or otherwise placed. The diagram `l is rectangular and oblong as shown, and is preferably divided by a line 2 into two equal compartments, representing the twoend portions of the car. On each side of this main division line 2 are a series of leader lines 3 which may be of any number and of any curvature or angle and which commence at different points within the diagram l at diiferent distances from one side of said diagram, and the said lines 3 extend outwardly from the diagram and thence either curve or extend laterally at angles to the main portion to form tabulating lines extending parallel to each other, as indicated at 4, These tabulating lines 4 are intersected by vertical lines 5 so that the columns thereby produced may be filled in with any desired amount or character of data. The lines 3 point to and terminate at those points in the diagram which correspond to those points within the car itself where the goods are placed, designated by the descriptive matter on the laterally extending tabulating lines 4.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, an instance of its use is herein given, illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be seen that the card upon which the diagram is placed contains at one corner, the words Notice and Tack this indicator near car door, inside, and mark, number, kind, contents and shipping mark of each package thereon. Above the diagram are the words This car is consigned to, together with a blank space in which the consignees name and address are to be filled in. At one, or both ends of the diagram the following notice occurs: Notice-Positio'n in car of every package in this end of the car Number of packages Kinds of packages Contents of paokagesand, Shipping marks are shown on indicator below. The account columns from which the lines 3 extend as leaders or pointers are headed, respectively, by the words Oontents- Kind Number of packages and-Shipping marks, together with the word Total at the bottom, and below the diagram and indicators are the words Shipped by, together with lines to be filled in by the name and address of the consignor. For instance, it will be seen Vthat the present load indicator, which is used as an example only, is usedjby John Roe Co. to ship a quantity of mill stus to John Doe.7 One of the indicators, it will be notedis filled in with yellow corn meal, 25 lb. sacks, H400 and l Ds.

sks, the latter indicating theA shipping marks. As soon as the car is received by the consignee andthe carA opened, the indica'- tor; will at once show to the consignee or his agent, that at the point withinthe car where the leader 3 of said'` filled-inline' terminates will be found the goods described on said line. This is only givenas anexample, and it is believedthat it issuiiicient to show the purpose and workings of the invention.

From the yforegoingl description in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seenI that l have provided an improved load indicator, which will show at a glance in what part of a car or like receptacle each article therein-is placed, as wellas the shipping marksand the number oflpackages and kinds, andcontents of packages.

With one ofthese indicators tacked or other-wise secured in-a car and properly filled out, a complete record of the car will be given, both for the loader and the unloader. Itis to be understood that l am not limited to any form of indicator or any arrangement thereof' insofar asV the indicators are provided With'lines running through into the diagram and` terminating at those points in the diagram which correspondto the points of the car or the like where the goods,de scribedin the indicators are tovbe found.

lt is also obvious that by tack-ing the indicator on the inside of a car, and as each end of the car is loaded, by Writing upon the end of the indicator pointing to that end of the car the contents, it matters not how many times the car is turned end for end, the indicator will show where each and every lot of goods is in the car.

As above stated, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited merely to use with a freight car or ware-house. For instance, as indicated-in Fig. 3, the diagram l onlthe card-board or the like, may beloffthe conventional'shape of the hold orv hull of"a marine vessel, andthe lines2, 3, land -'correspond in this modicationrto 4the light lines ink the other embodiments o the invention.

Havingl thus described thek invention, what is claimed as new is:

As anew article of manufacture, the herein described load indicatingcard provided'with adiagram ofthe shape andproportion oi'the parts of the interior of a space where goods are located, al set of leader lines'terminating at one end at different pointswithin saiddiagram and extending outwardly therefrom, a series of horizontal lines outside of said? diagram, said horizontal lines-extendingparallel to each other and connectedat one end with the outery ends` of the respectiveL leader lines, and a series of verticallines intersecting# the said horizontal lines and forming therewith tabulating-l columns, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofl aHX my signature in presence of twowitnesses'.

MACK C. COATS.

Witnesses 1 WALLACE DrNsMoRE, C. T. AARON. 

